Sunshine
by Glinda
Summary: Sam's out of that damn computer...but how are her 'family' dealing with nearly loosing her AGAIN? From Teal'c's POV


AUTHOR: Glinda  
  
TITLE: Sunshine  
  
CATEGORY: Episode TAG?  
  
PAIRING: None  
  
SEASON/SPOILERS: 4 Its post Entity and there's brief reference to Children of the   
Gods, Emancipation, Message In A Bottle, The Tok'ra(part 2), Jolinar's Memories/The   
Devil You Know.  
  
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, Fanfiction.Net anywhere else I put it and if ya want it? Just ask!  
  
WARNING: PG   
  
DISCLAIMER: Not mine, don't own anything. Just a poor little Uni. student trying to   
stay sane by letting her imagination run wild. Not making any money…just doin this for   
fun! Plz don't sue! Don't know who wrote the song…but its called 'Ain't no sunshine'   
and its been in my head all day so…Oh and its (kinda obviously) NOT MINE either! We   
know all this…do we have to reiterate this every time we post? Oh well if you insist!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I know, I know! I'm supposed to be continuing something else, but   
got writer's block and a scary amount of essays to write. This keeps getting in the way of   
the essay so think I'd better get it out of my system…fast! Ummm…Bizarrely its from   
Teal'c's point of view…all of it! I recently read the first entire fic I've ever seen that was   
entirely from his point of view and was intrigued. Always wondered what was going on   
inside the big guy's head! :) # indicate song words  
  
#Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
It's not warm when she's away.  
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
And she's always gone too long  
Anytime she goes away. #  
  
She sleeps once more. Her breathing is peaceful and even. A small smile graces her lips.   
All is well in our world again. I do not mean the world of the Taur'i. I refer to the world   
of O'Neill, DanielJackson and myself. In the time she was gone it was as though…not   
quite the world having ceased to turn, but more…the sun no longer shone. We each knew   
without words the other's pain. If she had left forever…we would have continued without   
her. But our lives would have been emptier…She has become the fire that drives us   
onwards…the passion behind our fight.   
  
I confess that before I knew SamanthaCarter well I failed to comprehend the   
advisability of a female warrior, the role of female Jaffa is confined to child bearing   
except in the case of those few who enter the Temple in service of the false gods. I   
accepted without question her position of scholar, having encountered numerous female   
scholars in my time as First Prime of Apophis who were far more efficient in the   
execution of their duties then many of their male counterparts. I am unsure when exactly   
CaptainDoctorSamanthaCarter as she was then, came to win my respect as a warrior.   
Perhaps the incident with the Shadavi was the start…her fight, not only for her own   
freedom but also for the freedom of an entire gender, against a man almost twice her age   
and height went a long way to earning our collective respect. When…to use a Taur'i   
phrase…push came to shove, we knew she would not hesitate. Together the four of us   
have been to Hell – both metaphorically and (in order to rescue JacobCarter/Sel'mac)   
physically – and back. Throughout the past four years it has become increasingly obvious   
to me of a fundamental truth of SG-1's relationship. We can each function alone, as long   
as we do not attempt to exclude each other, for then we are vulnerable, almost ineffective.   
But together, when we are united and harmonious, there is nothing, no pain, or loss, or   
hardship that we cannot overcome together. Together we shall prevail, in life and in war,   
or together we shall fail. The Taur'i have an appropriate expression for this: Together we   
stand, or divided we fall. Whomsoever first uttered those words was indeed a wise man,   
or woman…I have long since learned not to judge without sufficient knowledge in these   
matters. I only hope that this will not divide us forever. I scold myself for my lack of…I   
search for an appropriate word…faith, we SHALL get through this. I will NOT allow   
otherwise.  
  
  
#Wonder, this time where she's gone,  
Wonder if she's gonna stay  
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
And this house just ain't no home,  
Anytime she goes away.#  
  
  
Her eyes open and she becomes aware that I am observing her. I acknowledge her   
awakening by my customary bow of my head. As one we turn to observe the source of   
the sound that has awoken her, the hastily answered telephone. DanielJackson answers   
the telephone quietly…although his slightly laboured breathing betrays the haste he   
employed to get there. The somewhat anxious and disgruntled tones of SamanthaCarter's   
father are anything but quiet in reply.  
"Dr. Jackson?!"  
"General…Carter?" (A/N: Wot do Jacob and Daniel call each other? I can't   
remember…If anyone knows…PLEASE tell me and I'll correct this bit!)  
"Why ARE you answering Colonel O'Neill's telephone at THIS time of night?!"  
"I'm…Jack invited us back for a sort of team…why am I explaining this to you? I have   
EVERY right to be in my best friend's house and answering the telephone to keep you   
from waking him up at…" DanielJackson consults the clock behind him, "2.30 in the   
morning!!! The question is WHY are YOU phoning JACK?!"  
"I phoned Sam…earlier and got no reply…when I went over and let myself in…she   
wasn't there…it looked like she hadn't been home…and George said Fraiser had just let   
her out of the infirmary…and I didn't want her to be alone on her first night at home and   
I got worried so…I thought I'd phone Jack and worry him…" If I did not wish to have   
injury inflicted upon me by SamanthaCarter's father next time I see JacobCarter, I would   
have vocalised my opinion that his last statement sounded somewhat…contrite.  
"Jacob. Do you seriously think we'd leave her alone if we had the slightest inclination   
that something was even possibly wrong!"  
"*sigh* Put an old man's mind at rest…tell me where she is."  
"Well…until you rang and woke us all up…she was sleeping peacefully on Jack's sofa,   
with Teal'c, Jack and me taking turns to watch over her…no offence Sam but…"  
"None taken Daniel," she shuffles sleepily across the room to confirm her presence to her   
father, "let me speak to Dad."  
"Sure thing…Ask her yourself!" DanielJackson touches her arm affectionately before   
leaving her to talk with her father. She receives it with a grateful smile and continues into   
the kitchen to continue her conversation. The song, which has haunted me all day, plays   
quietly on the radio and we contemplate the appropriateness of the words.  
  
  
#Ain't no sunshine when she's gone #  
  
  
"Guess he just needed to make sure she really was okay for himself…he really isn't good   
at the whole showing his emotions thing!" A snort emerges from O'Neill causing   
DanielJackson to jump slightly, and although I do not outwardly display it I share his   
surprise. Until that moment I believed O'Neill to be asleep. His voice is rough from sleep   
and his still raw emotions when he speaks.  
"Didn't it occur to him that maybe we did too."  
"We did what, Jack?"  
"Need to know for ourselves that she really is going to be okay."  
"You don't think she is?"  
"Carter's strong. She'll get through this…but not alone." He lowers his voice to a mere   
whisper, "We all will."   
  
  
#And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know   
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know  
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know  
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know  
I know, hey I ought to leave the young thing alone,#  
  
  
"I concur with O'Neill's assessment. SamanthaCarter requires our assistance in various   
ways to allow her to adapt to recent events. She has demonstrated several times tonight   
her need for our presence and the comfort she finds from our proximity. In time the   
trauma will pass. For now we must draw strength from each other and heal. We are   
family - four parts of one whole. We have once again been made painfully aware of our   
ineffectivity in dealing with the loss of her and must ensure our need to prevent our   
loosing her again does not stifle her. We can give her nothing but love and time, we must   
hope that it is enough. It will not be simple to accomplish, but with time and effort on   
ALL our parts, it will be achievable."  
"Where there's a will there's a way." Comments a gentle female voice from the doorway.   
As one myself, DanielJackson and O'Neill turn towards Samantha Carter who,   
unbeknownst to us has returned to the living room. She smiles gently. The smile she   
gives us is content, it may be some time before she will smile with the heart-felt   
happiness of before, but we have hope that it may soon return. She opens her arms to us   
and we rise to be by her side. She attempts to draw all three of us into her embrace and   
we struggle to juggle ourselves round so that we are all entwined around her. If it were   
not for the seriousness of the situation then I suspect O'Neill would tell one of his   
'famous' jokes, something about 'group hug' in loud tones. But he does not. We have no   
desire to break the silence. We are content to take comfort in her presence and to allow   
her to take comfort from ours in turn.   
  
  
#But ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
Only darkness everyday.  
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,  
And this house just ain't no home,  
Anytime she goes away.#  
  
  
When she speaks again there is a catch to her voice that betrays the tears that she is   
finally allowing to fall.  
"I don't know about the future…but right know that's all I ever want…never stop loving   
me…cos I CAN'T stop loving you guys. I'd be lost without you guys now…just nice to   
know you guys…you know…feel the same way." She looks up shyly at each of us in   
turn, and as she does this we all answer the instinctive impulse to take our allotted turns   
to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. DanielJackson smiles understandingly at her while   
unashamed tears soak his face, while O'Neill vainly attempts to bury the silent sobs of   
misplaced guilt that wrack his body in her shoulder. And I. What you may ask do I do as   
I observe the men and woman who have become my brothers and sister over these past   
four years? Despite everything I have learned and endured during my long lifetime, I   
cannot prevent two large teardrops from sliding from my eyes and landing wetly on her   
head. But for once in my life, cannot find it within myself to feel ashamed of this   
weakness. Out of weakness comes strength. This much we have learned from her. It was   
not the first thing, nor will it be the last that she can teach us. But it is my own personal   
opinion, that it is the most important. Undomesticated Equines indeed.  
  
  
#Anytime she goes away, anytime she goes away  
Anytime she goes away...# 


End file.
